Victoria: Whale Watching

Victoria: Whale Watching

The thrill of seeing whales in the wild is, for many, one of the most enduring memories of a trip to Victoria. It's on many visitors' must-see lists, and there is no shortage of companies willing to oblige.

In summer (roughly April to October), about 85 orca, or killer whales (they're actually large dolphins, but that makes them no less exciting to see), reside in the Strait of Georgia between Vancouver and Victoria. They live in pods, and because their movements are fairly predictable, chances are high that you will see a pod on any given trip. Some operators claim sighting rates of 90%; others offer guaranteed sightings, meaning that you can repeat the tour free of charge until you spot a whale.

It's actually not unheard of to see whales from a BC Ferry en route to Victoria—but the ferries don't alter their routes to take advantage of whale-watching, so your best bet is to take a dedicated tour. A number of companies leave from Victoria's Inner Harbour, a few are based in Richmond (near Vancouver), and others leave from Sidney and Sooke, outside of Victoria.

Not all tours are alike, and the kind of boat you choose determines the kind of experience you're likely to have—though most companies have naturalists on board as guides, as well as hydrophones that, if you get close enough, allow you to listen to the whales singing and vocalizing.

Motor launches, which carry from 30 to more than 80 passengers, are comfortable, with washrooms, protection from the elements, and even snack and drink concessions. They're still relatively small boats, though, so if you're not a good sailor it's wise to wear a seasickness band or take anti-nausea medication.

Zodiacs are open inflatable boats that carry about 12 passengers. They are smaller and more agile than cruisers and offer both an exciting ride bouncing over the waves and an eye-level view of the whales. Passengers are supplied with warm, waterproof survival suits. Zodiac tours are not recommended for people with back or neck problems, pregnant women, or small children.

Note that the kind of boat you choose does not affect how close you can get to the whales. For the safety of whales and humans, government and industry regulations require boats to stay at least 100 meters from the pods, though closer encounters are possible if whales approach a boat when its engine is off.

And, although the focus is on whales, you also have a good chance of spotting marine birds, Dahl's porpoises, dolphins, seals, sea lions, minke, gray, and humpback whales as well as other marine life. And, of course, there's the scenery of forested islands and distant mountains.

There are dozens of whale-watching operators in the area. Some of the more established are:

Great Pacific Adventures offers year-round tours with both Zodiacs and covered vessels. Boats are equipped with hydrophones and all guides are marine biologists. In summer a 3-hour tour starts at C$89. 811 Wharf St. 250/386-2277 or 877/733-6722. www.greatpacificadventures.com.

Ocean Explorations conducts 3-hour whale-watching trips in summer and 2-hour marine tours in winter—all on hydrophone-equipped Zodiacs with qualified naturalists as guides. Summer trips start at C$89. 602 Broughton St. 250/383-6722 or 888/442-6722. www.oceanexplorations.com.

Prince of Whales is Victoria's biggest whale-watching company: they run a boat between Vancouver and Victoria, and also offers 3-hour tours from Victoria on zodiacs and on the Ocean Magic II—a covered boat that can travel as fast as a Zodiac. All boats are equipped with hydrophones and staffed with naturalists. Rates start at C$85. 812 Wharf St. (on the Inner Harbour Causeway). 888/383-4884. www.princeofwhales.com.

Springtide Whale Tours is highly rated by visitors. They offers tours by Zodiac and by 61-foot, partly covered motor yacht. Summer tours are three hours long, and the boats are equipped with hydrophones; guides are marine biologists. Rates are C$89. 1207 Wharf St. 250/384-4444 or 800/470-3474. www.victoriawhaletours.com.

Tseycum Canoe Tours is a First Nations-owned and -operated company, based in Sidney. They offer 3- to 3½-hour whale-watching tours around the Gulf Islands in a covered boat for C$69. You can also learn about the area and its wildlife while paddling a traditional canoe—1- to 1½-hour tours start at C$34. Seaport Pl., Sidney. 250/656-7224. www.tseycumtours.com.

Ocean Magic II, a 74-passenger cruiser that combines four hours of whale-watching with a trip from Vancouver to Victoria. Run by Prince of Whales,one of the bigger whale-watching operators, the cruiser leaves downtown Vancouver daily at 7:30 AM, arrives in Victoria's Inner Harbour in time for lunch, and returns for Vancouver at 3:30. Passengers can opt to stay in Victoria, add a trip to the Butchart Gardens, or return by floatplane or ferry. Fares are C$149 one way, C$248 round-trip. 250/383-4884 or 888/383-4884. www.princeofwhales.com.

Vancouver Island has two other whale-watching hot spots: Johnstone Strait, off Telegraph Cove on the island's northeast coast, has—in summer—one of the world's largest populations of orca and is an important center of whale research. Tofino and Ucluelet, on the island's west coast, draw whale-watchers every March and April when an estimated 20,000 Pacific gray whales cruise by on their annual migration.